US stock futures higher as Wall Street mulls durable-goods data

U.S. stock-index futures climbed on Wednesday, after orders for durable goods in February beat estimates even as corporate spending on equipment declined.

Orders for goods meant to last at least three years rose 2.2 percent in February. Economists polled by Reuters had expected orders for longer-lasting goods to climb 1 percent last month. But demand for U.S. business equipment dropped in February.

The pick up in capital expenditures "that many hoped for in 2013 and again in 2014 is just not there yet but maybe post harsh winter things will change for the better," Peter Boockvar, chief market analyst at the Lindsey Group, wrote in an email.

Another report, this one on the U.S. services sector in March is due at 9:45 a.m. Eastern.

Twenty-First Century Fox announced on Wednesday that it had appointed Lachlan Murdoch as non-executive co-chairman and promoted James Murdoch to co-chief operating officer.

In addition, King Digital Entertainment, the maker of the "Candy Crush" game, will debut on the New York Stock Exchange, under the symbol "KING". The listing will be the exchange's biggest by a European issuer since Genesis Lease's in December 2006.